Modeling and simulation of forward osmosis process using agent-based model system

In recent years forward osmosis (FO) process has attracted considerable attention in the field of water treatment and desalination. However, the lack of sufficient information on all possible parameters, affecting the process performance, is a major obstacle that avoids improving the function of this method. In this study, an algorithm based upon a reliable model was developed for osmosis through asymmetric membrane oriented in FO mode to be applied in agent-based model. This model was built in the NetLogo platform, which is a programmable modeling environment for simulating natural phenomena. The feasibility of this modeling was proven by comparing the simulation results and empirical data obtained from literature. The influence of net bulk osmotic pressure difference between the draw solution (DS) and the O mode etLogo imulation feed solution (FS) on average water flux was studied for various draw solutes. Furthermore, the effects of process parameters, including temperature, length of module, FS cross-flow velocity, pure water permeability coefficient, and structural parameter of membrane on average water flux were investigated. As a result, it could be concluded that Netlogo agent-based model had the quite well potential to simulate the FO process.